Pic: Spoorthi Ullal

Mangalore, Nov 23 (DHNS): Sand Contractors, Sand Board Owner-Workers and Building Materials Transportors’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) has urged the state government to give concession for transporting sand in Coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada, under the uniform sand mining policy, which the government will be implementing  soon.

Addressing a press meet here on Monday, JAC President Mayur Ullal said the uniform law on sand mining will take away the source of income of about 10,000 labourers who have been earning their livelihood from sand mining.

As per the new policy, the PWD will call tender for sand mining and the contract will be given to one person who in turn can sub-lease it to others.

However, he said that the method of sand mining and process of transportation which is followed in undivided Dakshina Kannada are totally different from the rest of Karnataka.

“Auctioning of the sand as per the new policy will definitely increase the rate of sand in three coastal districts. If the government goes a head with the new sand mining policy without giving any concession to coastal districts, the transportation of sand will be suspended throughout the district on December 14 and a protest will be staged in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office,” he added. He said based on the draft of the new sand mining policy, the Chief Secretary has issued an order to the Mines and Geology department the Deputy Director instructing him not to renew the temporary permits issued for those who are into sand mining, after December 31. Normally temporary permit are issued for sand mining once in three months.

GPS

He said as per the decision of District Task Force on sand, as many as 596 lorries transporting sand had decided to install the GPS, of which, GPS have been installed on 486 trucks transporting sand.

The process of installing the GPS will be completed within few days. As the Karnataka High Court has upheld the decision of the district administration on the mandatory installation of GPS on lorries transporting sand, the Committee has decided to file contempt of court cases against those who do not adhere to the decisions of the Task Force on installing the GPS. He urged the authorities from the Mines and Geology to initiate action against those lorries which do not have GPS.